1x02 Twister (The Building series)
by Castlestar4
Summary: The second episode of my series. Read the first one (New girl in the building) before this. In this episode Fitz, Hunter and Jemma watch a football (soccer) match but Fitz invites Radcliffe too. Skye meets Ward for the first time and they end up playing a little game (And May and Coulson join in!) Rated T because I'm paranoid but would probably be alright as Kplus. No bad langauge.
1. Grant Ward's keys

Skye's first day at her new job had not gone well.

She had thought that, as she knew Fitz, who happened to be her boss and her next door neighbour, he may have eased her in gently, but she found that this was not the case. She had lots of stuff that she needed to do already. Fitz has told her to take it as a compliment; he would never trust someone so new with so much if he didn't think they were good enough; but right now Skye was thinking she would probably prefer to be someone who knew nothing about how computers worked. Besides, during the day she had certainly acted like it. She almost made the whole network crash when she made a programming error but with her skills she managed to contain the crash to her computer only. Fitz, however, was not impressed. He told her to go home, settle in a bit more and come back again tomorrow with a clean slate.

So it was with a rather depressed mood that she dragged herself up the stairs to her apartment. (why wasn't there a lift in this building?!) However as she arrived at the first floor she heard keys being stuffed in a lock and saw, for the first time, the guy who lived next to Phil and May - Grant Ward.

He was facing the door so Skye couldn't see his face but Skye froze and began to stare because she noticed that he had a very impressive physique, Skye might even go as far to say he was even more impressive than Trip. She stood there staring for an uncomfortably long amount of time before realising that Ward was still bent over shuffling his keys about in the door lock.

"Er…" Skye started, and Ward turned around. Skye stood shocked for a moment. She was reminding herself of when Fitz first met her! She stood uncomfortably still, staring at him for way to long until Ward brought her back to Earth by saying, "What?"

"It's just do you… I mean…" Skye was struggling and she could tell Ward was getting frustrated, his eyes had even started to dilate. "Do you want some help? Is the key stuck in the lock?"

"No." Grant Ward snapped, in an overly aggressive tone, "I don't need help." He then turned back around and proceeded to violently move the keys in a way Skye knew would never, ever open the lock. So, even though she was slightly scared, she took a few steps forward towards him and said, "That's not going to help," very tentatively to his back.

Grant Ward turned around, a look of utter shock and disbelief on his face at this comment. Skye almost wanted to laugh. How ridiculous was it that someone could be so surprised at being told he was doing it wrong. "I don't need help," he said again, with very little expression.

"I'm not trying to rob you," said Skye, beginning to lose her temper, "I've just moved in upstairs, my name is Skye and I really think you should try being more gentle with the door." This time Ward didn't react, instead pretended he hadn't heard her and merely continued to aggressively try and turn the key unnecessarily hard. Skye rolled her eyes. She didn't know for sure exactly what was making her stay and help this very rude guy but she really wanted to stay around him. "Look, just…" She struggled for what to say, the banging of the key against the lock was getting quite annoying now, "just STOP!" She ended up shouting which caused Ward to stop ignoring her and instead turn around and glare at her with a very intense stare. It did little to intimidate her however, in fact, she found it almost romantic… Staring into each other's eyes like that...

"Fine," he said, seemingly giving in, "If you know so well what you're doing, then you open the door."

Skye smiled the most sincere smile she could muster, "I will." Ward was still annoyed but considering he had been trying to get into his apartment for a long time now he really didn't have a choice. Ward hated getting help, he worked alone. As Skye lifted her hands and gently moved the key around the right place Ward couldn't help noticing that her hands was so shiny and smooth, and all her movements were very gentle. In that moment all he wanted to do was was touch her hands and feel how soft they were.

Within seconds Skye had the door open and Ward, with a roll of his eyes at Skye, who raised her eyebrows back, strolled casually into his apartment.

The first thought Skye had when seeing the apartment was how dark it was. Of course there was no light and the blinds were closed but that wasn't what Skye meant. Even once Ward switched on the light the colours were so dark they seemed to absorb all the light and leave none for the rest of the room. The room was a huge mess, there was a lot of rubbish on the floor and the small kitchen desktop in the corner clearly hadn't been wiped in months. Skye didn't think this was really a room for a personal trainer but decided he must attend a gym regularly rather than exercise at home. This room was the polar opposite to FitzSimmons'. It didn't even look particularly inviting, except perhaps for the fact that the majority or the room was made of large comfortable looking couches and Skye even spotted a small beanbag in one of the corners.

When Ward got in he went to the fridge opened a beer and sat on the sofa, picking up the tv remote as he did so.

"Either leave or come in but don't just stand there." Said Ward, rather harshly.

Skye decided to investigate so she cautiously entered the apartment.


	2. never joke about what team you support

Fitz and Simmons were talking around the coffee table that evening when Hunter entered the room. He was beaming energetically and practically shouted at them, "We still on for tonight!?"

"There's no need to deafen us, Hunter," Said Simmons, rolling her eyes, "Yep, we'll be there."

"It's a big one," Said Hunter, slightly quieter but with the same amount of energy, "Man U vs Liverpool. I think I know who's going to win…" He grinned mischievously at Fitz.

"Don't be so cocky, I'm pretty sure Man U can beat you." Fitz said, with a grin of his own.

"I'm really more of an Arsenal fan myself," Said Simmons, casually. Fitz And Hunter looked at her like she had said the most hideous thing ever. "That was a joke." She said, timidly, under their stares.

"You _never_ joke about what team you support." Said Fitz, very seriously.

"Alright!" Simmons said, slightly defensively. "I'm sorry I'm not as much of a football fan as you."

"Well I'll see you all later I guess." Hunter said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Fitz said, almost as a reflex. Hunter turned around and looked at Fitz, who looked like he hadn't really intended to say that at all. "It's just that…. well…" Fitz stuttered shyly.

"Spit it out, mate." Said Hunter, slightly irritated, he really didn't have any patience.

"Well I invited Radcliffe to come too." Fitz spoke quickly, as if hearing it fast would somehow soften the blow. Simmons put down the book she was reading and looked, shocked, at Fitz. Hunter's face turned red with anger.

"YOU WHAT?" He shouted.

"Look, I'm sorry but I was talking to him the other day and then I told him we were meeting for the game and he said he was always watching alone in his apartment so-"

Hunter interrupted Fiz, "So you INVITE HIM?!"

"I'm sorry, Hunter but I feel bad for him. We never invite him anywhere with us."

"Well you'll have to tell him that he can't come." Hunter said, matter of factly.

"I can't do that." Said Fitz, as though Hunter had just suggested the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"Why not?" Hunter said, trying and failing to contain his temper.

"Well for starters it's rude-" Fitz started, but Hunter interrupted him again.

"Oh, well I'm sorry," Said Hunter sarcastically, "But you know what else is rude? Inviting a new guest without consulting the host." And with that he stormed out of Fitz-Simmons apartment, slamming the door unnecessarily hard behind him.

-"^^^"-

Ward had settled down on his sofa and switched on a game of American football. After being invited in by him, Skye thought he might at least be a little sociable, but as it turns out she was wrong. Skye sat down on the couch next to his and attempted to start a conversation about the torrential rain outside but Ward shrugged it off like it was nothing which ended the conversation rather abruptly so Skye started to look around. She spotted something on one of his shelves that was very out of place.

"Why do you have that?" Skye asked, pointing at it.

Ward followed Skye's gaze and saw what she was looking at. Skye thought he might look embarrassed but he just smiled and said, "It's for when my nephews are over."

Skye stood up and walked over. She picked it up. On the front of the box we're the words TWISTER in bold, bright colours. The box was very old and falling apart at the edges. When she opened it she saw the mat with the coloured spots and the spinner with the colours and body parts on. She looked down at it and then up at Ward, who wasn't watching her and was instead staring intently at the TV. Getting rather annoyed at how Ward was ignoring her, she said, without really thinking, "Why don't we play?"

Ward was shocked enough by this comment to pause the game and stand up. He didn't look that surprised, just confused. "You mean we should play twister?" Said Ward, almost not wanting to believe it.

"Yeah," Skye was regretting saying anything, "It'll be fun." Skye wasn't sure why she was trying to convince him that it would be a good idea to play twister, she'd probably lose anyway, but she just wanted to have an excuse to be around him.

"Ward's not big on fun," Coulson said, entering the room followed by May. As it turns out Skye was too intrigued by the apartment (or too focused on Ward) to close the door and Ward was too interested in his game to notice.

Ward considered his options. He really didn't want to play twister but he also loved proving Coulson wrong. "Alright then, we'll all play shall we?"

Coulson And May both looked surprised and Ward was satisfied, however he hadn't really thought about the proper consequence of this.

"Who wants to help me lay out the mat?" Skye asked from behind Ward.

Ward regretted his decision already.


	3. Hunter hates me

Fitz breathed in deeply, glanced at Jemma, who nodded in encouragement, and knocked, not hard, but firmly on the door to Radcliffe's apartment. He heard Radcliffe shout from inside the apartment that whoever it was would have to wait a minute.

"I just need to clear away all my dangerous and illegal experiments and hide my robot in the wall," mumbled Jemma, with a terrible Scottish accent. Fitz gave her the most fleeting glare before the door opened.

"Oh! Fitz!" Radcliffe exclaimed, "So good to see you, come in, come in." He stepped out of the way for them to enter, he smiled at Fitz, who went first, and gave Jemma what she thought was a very unnecessarily cold stare. She began to feel very uncomfortable. Radcliffe shut the door behind them.

Jemma looked around the apartment. It even looked a little dodgy. The place didn't look like a home at all, there was no couch, TV or even some kind of leisure area and yet Radcliffe spend practically all his time hiding in his apartment. No one knew what he got up to when he was in there, none of them even knew what he did as a job though Hunter had some pretty interesting ideas! Fitz had tried to offer him a job once but he never took it. In one corner was a large table covered with scraps of paper and plans for who knew what? The rest of the room was just a mess, Jemma had to resist the urge to clean it up.

Unlike Hunter, Jemma didn't actually think Radcliffe was doing anything to break the law, just that he was a rather rude and spiteful person, though he had always acted differently with Fitz. Jemma suspected it was the Scotsman thing.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you until we met for the match later." Radcliffe said, settling down on the only chair in the room. Jemma thought this very rude; who didn't offer the guests a seat but sat down themselves? She hadn't even wanted to come here but FItz hadn't wanted to come alone and she found it impossible to resist him when he asked for something and looked at her sadly with his huge blue eyes.

"About that…" started Fitz, going quiet and looking extremely nervous, "I didn't actually ask Hunter first so-" Fitz didn't need to finish for Radcliffe to get the picture.

"I see, Hunter doesn't want me there, no one wants me there." He didn't sound angry just upset or disappointed. Jemma could tell he'd really been looking forward to it because what Fitz said was true, they never invited him anywhere, even Fitz didn't invite him places, they just spoke about their new ideas in Radcliffe's apartment.

"Yeah…" Fitz went red, almost embarrassed at having to go back on his word, "But I mean, I'm sure next time we can-"

"Don't joke with me, Fitz," said Radcliffe, standing up, "Hunter hates me. You think I don't know what he says about me behind my back? Well I do. Even your little girlfriend here hates me, I don't even know why she's here. To check out my 'dodgy' apartment and report back to Hunter?" This was the Radcliffe Jemma and Fitz had expected. The hot-headed, bad-tempered Radcliffe, that lashes out at whoever is around when he's annoyed.

"Actually," Jemma said, as Fitz coward slightly into one corner of the room, "I tend to make my own decisions about what I think of apartments, and yours is," she struggled to find a good word, "Messy."

"And you have a problem with that?" Radcliffe said, too calmly at her, "Maybe if you like things so clean, you should tidy yourself up once in a while."

"Hey," said Fitz, gathering courage, "Don't talk to her like that."

Radcliffe sat back down, "Sorry," He muttered. Jemma looked at Fitz in astonishment. Honestly, how could Fitz calm him down so easily? It was like getting the right person to stop a baby from crying; no one but that person is able to do it. "It's just, I was looking forward to this you know." He said looking first at Fitz, then at Jemma, "I don't get out much and I do like to spend time with you. I watch the games alone in my room when they're on. It would have been nice to experience it with other people."

Jemma and Radcliffe stared at each other for a few moments, which gave Jemma the chance to annalyse him. Before she'd even thought about it she'd said, "Come."

"What?" Radcliffe said.

Fitz, who had been watching Radcliffe looked in shock over at Jemma, "What?"

"Why not?" Jemma said, shrugging.

"I thought you said Hunter didn't want me there." Radcliffe said, nodding at Fitz.

"I did and-" Fitz started.

"But the majority say that you should be there." Jemma said, still not really thinking about the consequences of what she was saying.

"Well then," Radcliffe said, looking excited again, "I'll see you at Hunter's in an hour."

"See you there." Jemma said, smiling before leaving the apartment.

Fitz gave Radcliffe a quick smile before hurrying out after her. After Fitz was sure they were out of Radcliffe's hearing range he said, "What was that?"

"I don't know!" Jemma said, as it hit her what she had just done, "What now?"

"Well…" said Fitz, looking at Jemma very seriously, "I guess I win, he'll have to come now, won't he?"

Jemma sighed and Fitz smiled shyly as they entered their apartment to get ready.


	4. Stretched out

**note: In this story I have assumed you know how to play the game twister, if you do, start reading the story, if you don't let me quickly explain roughly how the game works:**

 **There's a mat with coloured dots on and a spinner with these colours and body parts on. These body parts are left hand, right hand, left leg, right leg. If the spinner lands on red left hand, then the player must put their left hand on a red spot. ON eperson doesn't play because they have to spin the spinner, and everytime it's your go you have to do what the spinner says. All players are on the same mat so sometimes you can get tangled inbetween one another. If the spinner lands on something with right hand, but your right hand is already on a spot, move your right hand to the new colour.**

 **Hope that made sense. : )**

After Fitz and Jemma were ready they started to bicker about who would be the one to break the news to Hunter that Radcliffe was still coming. In the end Fitz gave in, and agreed to tell Hunter once they had arrived. Fitz didn't think this was very fair though, after all, Jemma was the one who re-invited Radcliffe after Fitz told him he couldn't go.

When they first arrived Hunter seemed excited. "Game starts in 10." He said opening the door wide to let them in. Fitz noticed Bobbi sitting in the corner marking. "You might want to find somewhere else to work. We're watching _real_ football here."

"There's no need to be all uptight about it," Bobbi said, putting the books back in her bag, "I prefer soccer, remember?"

"I'll stop being uptight about it when you call it football."

"Goodbye, Hunter." Bobbi said, leaving through the still open door. Hunter smiled as he shut the door behind her.

"Would you like a beer or..?" Hunter asked, not finishing his question. Jemma waited for him to conclude his sentence but when she realised he wasn't going to she asked for water.

"Alright then." Hunter said, with a kind of disappointed, surprised tone. "Fitz?"

Jemma nudged Fitz and mouthed 'Now' but Fitz shrugged his shoulders and pointed back at her. Jemma was about to make an annoyed whisper but Hunter turned back around with a glass of water in his hand so they quickly made themselves comfortable on the coach.

"Thank you," Jemma said smiling as she received her glass.

"Fitz?" Hunter asked again.

"A beer's good." Fitz said, smiling widely too. Hunter gave them a strange look, they looked like two overly excited clowns, which was actually rather creepy. He left to go to the kitchen and get Fitz and himself a beer.

"Tell him." Jemma whispered.

"You tell him." Fitz whispered back.

"Is everything alright?" Hunter said, emerging from behind the sofa where the kitchen was.

"Yeah fine it's just that, well…" Fitz was saved having to say anything because there was a knock at the door. Hunter went to get it and Jemma and Fitz looked at each other in panic.

They heard Hunter open the door. He saw Radcliffe there and didn't know what to say. He just stood there, shocked. What he felt must have been evident on his face because Radcliffe said:

"They didn't tell you I was still coming, did they?"

-"^^^"-

Coulson was in charge of spinning the wheel. Ward had tried to be because that way he wouldn't have to play but Coulson got there first. As it turns out May was extremely flexible, she was bending all over the place. Her arms were crossed over and she was practically doing the splits. Skye was in a very comfortable position currently, like she'd just got down on her hands and knees, except her knees weren't on the floor. Ward was just at her head, arm travelling through his legs in order to stay in the game. Skye hadn't realised how competitive he was, she guessed it was the sort of trait that went with always refusing help.

"Right hand on red." Coulson said, having settled himself on the beanbag, spinner in hand.

Skye didn't think May would be able to reach it but May was not only flexible but stretchy! She reached all the way to the other side of the mat, in between Skye and Ward. Skye wanted to say how impressed you was, but didn't want to do anything that might cause her to fall; she was also very competitive.

Skye heard Coulson spin the spinner and as it landed Skye hoped for something that wouldn't be hard, maybe right foot yellow, that was just next to where her right foot was now.

"Left hand green." These words made Skye want to cry. She could definitely reach that far but she would have to tangle herself around Ward breathing deeply, she reached with her left hand, through Ward's legs to the green on the other side of the mat. Now she was stretched out underneath Ward. Ward made a move as though he was going to get up, but the thought of coming last seemed to outweigh this awkward position and he stayed.

"Skye, enjoying being tangled around Ward are we?" Coulson added jokily from his 'safe-zone'. Skye wanted to slap him. The atmosphere wasn't actually that awkward until he mentioned it. Skye was beginning to wish she hadn't recommended they play this game.

"Shut up." Muttered Skye. It was too quiet for Coulson to hear but Ward heard, and he mumbled an agreement.

"Are we playing or not?" May asked.

"Sorry!" Coulson said, looking down at the spinner. He was enjoying watching them getting uncomfortably close to each other. "Left foot red."

Ward and Skye both knew what this meant, Ward stretched his left leg back, and back until he found the right spot. Now Ward was stretched out until over Skye, who was trying to look down as much as possible. Ward and Skye both heard Coulson stifle a giggle as he moved on to May's go.


	5. I don't care

Hunter spent a few more seconds staring at Radcliffe, shocked, before he seemed to regain his composure and turned right around to face FitzSimmons. "Care to explain?"

"I told him not to come." Fitz started, Hunter gave him a disbelieving look. "Really I did but Jemma-"

"Oh, so it's Jemma's fault?" Hunter asked, still sounding disbelieving.

"Yeah. She changed her mind and re-invited him." Fitz seemed perfectly happy to throw Jemma under the bus. Hunter looked straight at Jemma, who went bright red and suddenly seemed very thirsty as she instantly downed her entire glass of water.

"I'm sorry." Jemma broke the silence, in a kind of begging tone, "But I saw him all upset when we told him he couldn't come and I felt bad and - look - I have this uncontrollable need to please people." Jemma concluded. It was like she was trying to set out her arguments for a court case.

"I don't care." Hunter said, "I don't want him here."

"You guys know I can hear you, right?" Radcliffe said, as he entered Hunter's apartment somewhat cautiously.

"I don't care." Hunter repeated.

"You know you all think I'm rude," Radcliffe said, as he helped himself to one of the beers in the fridge, "But that kind of comment makes me think maybe you are a little too."

Hunter clenches his fists in anger but, gaining some composure he releases them. He was about to answer back when Fitz interrupted him before he'd started.

"The game's about to start." He said, cautiously, Hunter could be scary when he was like this. In some ways, Radcliffe and Hunter were very similar.

"Well come sit with us." Hunter snapped at Radcliffe, who was smart enough not to reply. The four of them gathered in front of the TV as the starting whistle blew.

-"^^^"-

A few minutes later things had only gotten worse for Skye, she had been forced to turn so she was looking directly up and Ward so he was looking directly down. They were now staring straight at each other. Skye was starting to feel the pain of holding herself up for this long and was starting to think she might fall soon.

"Ward, your go." Coulson said, and Skye could hear him grinning, even if she couldn't see him. "Right foot, yellow."

Skye could physically see Ward panic for one second before it went. In order to get his right foot on a yellow spot he would have to cross his legs completely over which would likely result in him falling. Skye shook her head to try and get him to give up but Ward had no intention of doing that. He lifted up his right leg and twisted it round, over his left leg and then-

Ward fell, Coulson saw it. He thought it was a rather impressive fall. Ward lost all control of his body and fell hard directly onto Skye, who, consequently, was forced to the ground too. It all happened in a matter of seconds so it was far too quick for Skye and Ward to properly realise it was happening until it had happened. They were lying on top of each other, facing each other, in the middle of the room. Skye couldn't help but let out a mischievous grin when she realised this was the situation they were in. She thought that maybe this was why her subconscious mind wanted to play this game, in case this happened. Ward was not as pleased by the situation. He gave Skye a rather cold glare and got up quickly.

"You win May, congratulations." Ward said, clearly trying to make sure Coulson didn't make some inappropriate comment about the two of them. "What should she get for winning?"

"How about she makes us all dinner? I know the Brits are busy tonight and Trip's working so it would be just us and maybe Bobbi." Coulson said.

"Sounds great." said Skye, who couldn't stop grinning. Ward noticed her so she quickly looked the other way.

 **I was trying to find a situation where Skye and Ward would be forced to get uncomfortably close and this was all I could come up with. I ended up thinking that it was actually quite a fun idea to make them all play twister. It was harder to write than I anticipated but I hope it was alright. One more chapter left. I'll try and get it out tomorrow but no promises. Whatever happens the next episode will be released next Sunday.**


	6. That man

As the game was on the group began to forget their arguments as they got absorbed in the game. The four Brits had enjoyed the game, yelling at the screen and bickering they (mainly Fitz and Hunter) shared over which team should win. As the final whistle blew Fitz jumped up off the sofa and punched his fist in the air in celebration. He turned around, grinning at Hunter, "I told you Man U had a chance!"

"Good game mate," Hunter said, standing up himself to shake hands with Fitz just like the players were doing on the screen, "Although we should have got that penalty."

"No way, that was a dive all the way." Fitz said, shaking Hunter's too vigorously for too long. Realising what he was doing, Fitz let go of Hunter's hand with an awkward smile.

Hunter chose not to comment on Fitz's remark which was good, because Jemma was sure that they could go for hours arguing over that one decision.

An awkward silence fell over the room as each recalled the conversation before the match started. Radcliffe stood up.

"I'm gonna go." He said calmly and before anyone could say otherwise he'd left the apartment.

Fitz looked at Hunter. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have invited him without your permission."

"No, I mean, you shouldn't have, yes but no, I shouldn't have to make you feel sorry for inviting someone we always leave out, Radcliffe was right, I am rude."

"It's taken you this long to figure out?" Jemma said, smiling and still sitting on the sofa. Hunter and Fitz both looked at her.

"If I remember correctly…" Hunter started a small grin creeping silently into his mouth, "Fitz said you were the one who re-invited him so unless you'd like me to move onto you, shut up." Jemma went quiet and sipped some fizzy drink from the coffee table.

"And don't get me wrong I don't want him over all the time... but maybe... you know… every now and then."

Fitz had to stifle a giggle at how awkward Hunter was acting whilst saying all this. Fitz knew why; Hunter always found it hard admitting he was wrong, and Fitz did appreciate Hunter apologising and offering those things because he understood how hard it was be for him.

"Thanks for that Hunter but, I understand what you mean," Hunter gave Fitz a look that said 'don't say things just to make me feel better' so Fitz continues, "Really, he was very annoying at times and also," Fitz looks down at the coffee table, "I think he took your sweater."

Hunter looked down and noticed that his sweater was indeed missing from where he had left it. He shook his head in disbelief, "That man…"

-"^^^"-

Later that evening Skye, Ward, Bobbi, May and Coulson were gathered in May and Coulson's apartment. Whilst they were chatting in the lounge Coulson swept Skye off to the kitchen to talk in private.

"There's something I need to confess." He whispered, very seriously. "When we were playing twister I lied."

"About what?" Skye asked, confused.

"Well when I said what the spinner had landed on I didn't _always_ tell the truth."

"You mean that when Ward and I were getting tangled you were making that happen?" Skye said, slightly outraged. Coulson let a tentative smile cover his face. "Do you know how awkward that was for me?!"

"You should be thanking me." Coulson said, keeping his voice quieter than Skye was, "If it weren't for that, you and Ward would never have gotten that close."

"Still, that was uncalled for." Skye said.

"Everything alright over there?" Asked Bobbi from the couch.

"Everything's fine." Coulson said heading back to the sofa, leaving a shocked Skye in the kitchen.

As much as she hated to admit it, Coulson was right; she would never have gotten that close to Ward otherwise and she really had enjoy it a little too much. At that moment she decided she would do everything in her power to get a date with Ward. (And also to get Coulson back somehow.)


End file.
